Just Another Dream
by echoes of march
Summary: Jareth pulls himself together after his defeat to go after Sarah again, only this time he uses her daughter to lure her into the Labyrinth.
1. Jareth

Chapter 1: Jareth's Return

The sun was gone, but he still saw everything. Felt everything. _Was_everything.

That didn't make sense. Jareth tried to shake his head, to clear his mind, only to find that he didn't have a head.

He found he couldn't remember anything. Except--except a smell. A smell like clouds and sunlight. How poetic. The smell dominated his thoughts; it brought a feeling of utter rage, of bitterness, of desire, a mark of tenderness. And surprisingly, pride.

He tried to concentrate. Why didn't he have a body? What had happened to him? The smell.

"You have no power over me."

Who had said that? Where was he? The smell. Those words had something to do with the smell.

"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City…."

Castle? Goblin City. That voice.

"For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom as great….You have no power over me."

Sarah! Sarah, oh that beautiful little bitch. She had done this to him. She had bested him. Beaten his labyrinth, defeated his troops.

She had also rejected him. That was a blow to his ego that he could not ignore. He had to find her, had to make her pay.

Jareth focused all his energy on spreading himself, on searching, searching. Ah, the smell!

* * *

Sarah stroked her daughter's silky dark hair.

"She's so beautiful." Jacob DeSilva kissed his wife's neck.

"Yeah, we did well, didn't we?"

He nodded. "She looks just like you."

"No, she's got your mouth."

Jacob grimaced. "Are you kidding me? Look at that little pout. Those are your lips. I'm beginning to wonder if there's any of me in there. Your nose, your chin."

"Your ears."

"Sadly, I'll have to concede that point. I cursed her." He wiggled his slightly pointed ears.

"Oh no, your ears are adorable."

"You're adorable."

"Jacob," Sarah sighed as he turned her to face him and kissed her.

"_Sarah._"

Her eyes opened. Who the hell?

"I wish I didn't have to go," Jacob murmured.

Sarah's eyes darted around the room. "So do I."

"I'll be back next Tuesday though," he kissed her again, "we can finish this then."

She nodded mutely.

"I love you." He bent over the baby's crib. "Bye, sweetie. Daddy's going to miss you." Jacob turned to Sarah again, surprised by her expression. "What's wrong?"

Sarah shook her head. "Nothing, just thought I heard something weird. I'm fine."

He gave her a doubting look.

"I'm fine. If you don't leave now, you'll miss your plane."

Jacob pulled her into his arms and kissed her once more. "Don't have too much fun without me. I love you," he repeated.

"I love you, too."

With a troubled glance back at her, he left the room.

Sarah quickly opened the shades, chasing away the shadows and making the late afternoon sun slat over her sleeping daughter's face.

She rubbed her pudgy baby cheeks, then picked her up, making honey eyes open.

"Hey there, princess. How about a shower?"

Sarah went to start the water running, leaving Olivia in her crib.

"_Sarah._"

Her head jerked around. That voice, so familiar. Why did she know that voice?

The air around her sparkled. "What on Earth?"

The shimmering disappeared as swiftly as it had come. She stood stock-still, her mind running wild.

"Olivia."

Sarah ran to the nursery, only to stop in her tracks at the sight of the crib. Glitter hung around Olivia like a mantle, but the child wasn't scared. Quite the opposite, she was giggling and trying to catch the miniscule silver fireflies.

"_Sarah._"

Sarah hastened to pick her child up, hugging her so tightly that Olivia squealed in protest.

The air had cleared once again and, had it not been for the thin layer of diamond shine on Olivia and herself, Sarah might have been able to believe it had all been a trick of the light. Or a dream. Just another dream.

* * *

_Author's Note: I know it's short, but it's really more of a prologue than anything else._


	2. Happy Birthday to You

_Author's Note: Labyrinth and all of its wonderful characters belong to Jim Henson and George Lucas, I'm just a girl with way too much time on her hands_.

* * *

Chapter 2: Happy Birthday to You

_The girl with dark hair broke eye contact with the man leaning over her. "It's a piece of cake." _

_The images blurred and suddenly she found herself in a room that seemed to defy all reason. Great chunks of brick hung in the air, spinning slowly, and in front of her, the man. _

_He held a crystal sphere in his right hand. "Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave."_

_She was sorely tempted. He was beautiful, his eyes were open to her for the first time and she read there a wealth of emotions. She could easily stay here with him and forget everything else. _

_Their eyes locked and she knew that it would be folly to trust him. "You have no power over me."_

_Again a spinning mass of colors and sounds. This time she sat in a vast, high-ceilinged room. All around her on the floor were hordes of ugly little people. No, not people, goblins. _

_Someone called her name. There he was. The man. He wore a smug grin and asked her how she faired. She replied blandly and his smile fled. _

_She was pressed against him, and his eyes shone with the same fire she had witnessed last night. Last night? She didn't know this man. Then why did she feel so right in his arms? "You won't refuse me now."_

_They were alone now; she knew it even before she looked about the room. "I wouldn't think of it, my lord."_

_He quickly disguised his confusion as he leaned down, his intent obvious. She relaxed in his arms; finally, she could give herself over to these feelings…_

Olivia groaned as sunlight stabbed through her eyelids and into her dreams. Damn everything. She always woke up before the dream got good. She wondered if she would ever get to feel that man's lips on hers, even if only in a dream. He really was--

"Get out of bed."

She groaned and opened an eye, greeted by her mom smiling at her. "Why?"

"Because today is a special day."

"What's so special about it?"

"Your uncle is here."

That got her. "Uncle Toby's here? Why didn't you say so sooner?" She leapt from the bed and to her wardrobe. "What are we doing this year?"

Sarah smiled. "He said he was taking you shopping."

"Shopping?" Olivia stopped halfway through tossing clothes onto her so recently vacant bed. She now took the time to pick her glasses up off her nightstand.

"Don't worry, not that kind of shopping. He knows you're not that kind of girl."

"Well, what kind of shopping?" She slowly resumed the haphazard rifling through her clothes.

"I was told not to tell you, guess it's a surprise," Sarah teased, walking out the door.

With an exasperated sigh, Olivia quickly grabbed an outfit and dashed to the shower. Only when the bathroom had become steamy and warm and the water had woken her more did she think about the dream again. She'd been dreaming about that man and those events for months, though the last scene had changed, it had been her running through some kind of huge maze before. Nevertheless, the man was always there, and it seemed that with each dream he grew more vivid and more beautiful.

* * *

"What's shakin', bacon?" Toby grinned up at his niece.

"Not a whole lot, Uncle Toby."

"You ready to shop?"

"That depends on where we're going. Someone," she tossed her mother a look, "refused to tell me."

"And so do I. Eat your breakfast and we'll go."

Olivia scowled and sat down at the table where her mom had laid out a breakfast feast. "Unfair."

"Aw, cheer up, honey," Sarah kissed her on the forehead, "it's your birthday."

* * *

Toby frowned, "Don't you want anything?"

"Every thing here is breath-taking," she murmured, picking up a cherry wood box with an engraving of a frog, "but it's all so expensive." After looking at the price tag, she set the box back down. "I'd feel awful."

"Liv, the one day you can have any and everything you want you go soft on me. Come on, when has price ever mattered?"

"Oh, Uncle Toby, I don't want to waste all your money."

"All my money? You couldn't even come close. That ring is nothing if you don't have an amazing birthday."

Olivia's eyes snapped to his. "How'd you--"

"You've been sneaking peeks at is all afternoon."

"I'm sorry. I just can't help it, it's so gorgeous." Her eyes almost watered when they fell on the silver ring. "Way too expensive though, I saw a nice leather-bound book over--"

"Only if you get the box, too."

Olivia smiled. "Since you're hell-bent on spending far too much money on me…" She trailed off as she walked toward a large bookcase on the far wall.

Toby gestured for a clerk. "I'd like that ring."

The man plucked up the shining ring with deft fingers. "For the young lady?"

At a nod, the clerk disappeared into a back room.

"Find it?" Toby strolled up casually.

Olivia was crouching in front of the bookcase, searching for the book she had seen earlier.

"Ah." She pulled the thin, red book free. "Got it."

Olivia was grinning as they walked toward her house. Uncle Toby had always known her better than anyone else. He was only about six years older than she was and he understood her better than her mom ever had. Unlike Sarah, Toby shared Olivia's yen for the old, for everything antique. Toby had been the one to introduce her to the joys of smelling an old book, to touching an ancient necklace and almost feeling the life of its original owner. Sarah hated anything older than herself.

And stories, Toby had been telling her stories since she could remember. Obscure stories, stories that none of her friends had ever heard of. Her mom never told her stories, and she obviously disliked it when Toby did it. Olivia would never understand her impatience with the imaginary; Grandpa Williams had told her more than once that her mom had been obsessed with fairy stories until she was only a few years younger than Olivia was now.

She glanced up at the sky. There were fat, gray clouds swirling against a purple-gray sky. "Looks like rain."

"Yeah." Toby's eyes followed hers up to the rain-laden clouds. "That's what the weather report predicts."

"Oh, well then we can count on a lovely evening." Thunder cracked and it began to rain. "Maybe not."

They chuckled and hurried through the silver curtain of rain to the large white Victorian.

"Oh, really." Sarah stood on the porch waiting with hands on her hips.

"Sorry, Sarah, time ran away from us."

"Well don't stand there in the rain. Come on."

When they had changed into dry clothes, Olivia pulled the book and box from her bag.

"A book _and a _box? Toby, you definitely know the way to give a gift."

"It comes from years of practice."

Sarah's smile melted away like the waxen drippings from a candle when she saw the book. Her vision went black for an instant and she felt faint. "Where did you get that?" Her voice was quiet and desperate as her eyes went to Olivia's face, then Toby's and back to the book several times before finally resting on the gold lettering on the cover of the book. _The Knight of Birshware._

Sarah nearly did faint as relief struck her. Just one of those crazy stories with which Toby was always filling her head. It wasn't--

"Mom, are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine. Just a little dizzy I guess. You know how women my age get." She tried to make her reply sound flip and breezy, but Sarah knew from Olivia's and Toby's faces that she had failed abominably.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Toby's usually playful face was marked with worry.

"Fine, fine."

"Let's sit down," he suggested.

* * *

Olivia collapsed onto her bed. What a day. The clock next to her bed said 11:30, but it felt so much later.

She closed her eyes and took off her glasses, placing them on her bedside table, her hand encountered an object. It was a round-topped cube, soft and velvety to the touch.

Squinting, she opened the box and even without glasses, she saw a shimmer of silver. She jammed her glasses on her nose and examined the ring more closely than she had had the opportunity to earlier.

The band was silver with a lovely pale green stone that was diamond cut and set in an intricate tangle of carved silver vines.

Olivia snatched up her phone, quickly dialing.

After two rings, it picked up. "I was wondering when you'd find it."

"Uncle Toby, I thought we agreed you weren't going to get this thing for me."

"Thing? And here I though you liked it."

"Oh I do, but I can't--"

"Of course you can. I can't return it, Olivia. Are you going to let all that money go to waste?" Toby played on the deep need within her not to waste, a principle that had been pounded into her since childhood.

Olivia sighed. "No." She looked admiringly at the ring. "Thank you, Uncle Toby."

"No problem, honey. Happy birthday."

The line went dead and she set the phone down, still staring at the circle of silver and green. She slipped it onto her right ring finger. It fit far better than she would have imagined, only a tiny bit too loose.

Olivia smiled, getting off her bed and digging through her drawers. Her thoughts once again drifted back to her dreams as she began undressing and she hoped that tonight she would finally have a chance to kiss the man. How she wished he was real, and really wanted her.

As she stripped off her shorts, she heard a slow, quiet clap. "Lovely."

She spun around.

A man sat on her bed, propped against the headboard, booted feet crossed. It was him. Oh, God, it was him.

"Who the hell are you?" Olivia shrieked, grabbing her shirt and trying to cover her semi-nudity.

A mocking smile rode his angular face. "Wouldn't you much rather know why I'm here?"

She stared, open-mouthed at him.

"I am here to take you away."

Olivia was struck dumb. She couldn't speak, couldn't move.

He stood, towering over her. He was much taller than he had been in the dreams, more vivid. The man stepped closer to her, causing her to step back.

His eyebrows rose. "Are you frightened, Olivia?"

"No," she lied boldly, "I'm pissed off. Who do you think you are coming into my room in the middle of the night? And how the hell do you know my name?"

"I know a great deal more than that." He advanced further.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Who am I? I am the Goblin King. I am your dreams personified."

"Goblin King? You're off your rocker. And I've never dreamed of anything even remotely resembling you."

"Oh?" The mocking smile intensified as he produced a crystal from thin air.

The crystal flickered like an old movie projector. Olivia saw herself jerked up against this man, the tiny image spoke and she knew exactly what he was saying to her, knew what she would respond. To her horror, she saw herself yield to him and saw his mouth descend until it was but a hairbreadth from her own. The crystal vanished.

"That certainly looks like a dream to me."

Her eyes met his and for the first time she noticed that they were not the same. His right eye was icy blue, cold and distant, but his left pupil seemed to have dilated fully, leaving only a small ring of the original blue color. "What do you want from me?"

"I told you why I am here."

"To take me away, away where?"

"To the Underground."

He was suddenly touching her, his hands on her hips. God, he was real, solid and real and beautiful. The air began to feel warm and sparkle with tiny particles of glitter. The floor was gone and Olivia felt as though she was plummeting through the endless blackness that had replaced her room, she found herself clinging to this man who still wore that infuriating smile.

* * *


	3. Bait

_Author's Note: No matter how much I wish it were so, Labyrinth is not mine. (sigh) But I'm still holding out for David Bowie._

* * *

Chapter 3: Bait

"Welcome to the Underground."

The Goblin King's voice filled her head and she opened eyes she didn't remember closing.

They were in a very large room with high windows.

"Where are we?"

"I've just told you," he spoke to her as one might speak to a particularly slow-witted child, "we're in the Underground." He smiled that damn smile again. "And, though your body feels absolutely delicious pressed against me so tightly, you can let go if you like."

Olivia hadn't realized she was still clutching his waist. She sprang backward, nearly falling.

His gaze flicked over her body, alerting her to the fact that she still wore only her underwear. She quickly covered herself with her arms. "Where are my clothes?"

"Back in your room I imagine. I suppose I could retrieve them."

"Well give them to me."

"Why? You look lovely in what you're wearing, white suits you." His eyes took a leisurely stroll along her exposed skin, giving her goosebumps and feeling almost like a touch.

"Look if you don't what to give me my clothes, can you at least give me some other ones? Just some pants and a shirt."

He was still staring at her. She turned, figuring it was better for him to see her backside that to see her front.

"Come on."

"And cover up that scrumptious little bottom? That would be a sin," he purred, his lips grazing her ear.

How had he gotten so close? His gloved hands slid up her sides, grazing the swell of her breasts. "I find it hard to believe that you're unaccustomed to sinning."

He laughed, sending shivers up and down her spine. "You're quite right. But it would just be completely unforgivable."

"I want clothes." She stiffened when she felt him trying to pry her hands away from her body. "Now, damn it."

"Spoil my fun," he murmured, stepping back.

She felt the weight of a dress and numerous petticoats.

"It would seem that lavender suits you just as well as white."

She frowned. "Why am I here? And where is here, I've never heard of the Underground."

"You are here because I want you here." He shrugged. "As for your question as to where the Underground is, well I should think that was obvious."

"Where, England?"

He shook his head, looking at her as if she were quite thick. But he had an English accent, it wasn't all that far-fetched that this "Underground" should be in England.

"Well then where--"

"Under ground. Didn't think it was all that hard to grasp."

She flushed angrily. "Excuse me, Mr. Goblin King, for not knowing everything about a place I've never been to before."

"Oh, have you been to England then?"

"Wh-I-"she stuttered.

"And on that note, I take my leave of you."

"Wait," she started, but it was too late, where he had just stood, there was only a pile of glitter. "Wonderful. What am I supposed to do all by myself?" She looked around the room. There was a ridiculously large canopied bed against the far wall. An enormous wardrobe covered the entire east wall, or was it west?

Olivia decided to test out that bed, to see if it was as soft as it looked. Halfway across the room she was startled by a movement to her left. She whirled about, expecting to see that the Goblin King had returned, but was met by her own reflection.

"Oh," she breathed. The dress he had put her in was lovely, with fitted bodice and myriad flounces and ruffles. "I look like a princess."

"Much prettier."

She looked guiltily over her shoulder to find a pretty girl not much older than herself smiling at her.

"My name is Evie, and His Majesty assigned me to be my lady's maid."

"My maid?" Olivia registered that the Goblin King was not the only one with a British accent.

"Yes, my lady, I will help you to dress, and run your baths, and dress your hair."

"That's not necessary, I can do all of those things myself."

The girl smiled. "No one can lace their own dress, my lady."

"My name is Olivia."

"I know, my lady."

"You can call me by my name."

"Oh, no. I couldn't do that."

"Why?"

"You are my superior, my lady, if I were to call you by any title other than that befitting you, it would be disrespectful, His Majesty wouldn't tolerate it." Evie went a chest of drawers that Olivia hadn't noticed next to the massive wardrobe. "You'll need more undergarments."

"He isn't exactly respectful," Olivia muttered, thinking of the way he had put his hands on her.

Evie looked at her. "Did you say something, my lady?"

"No. Just thinking out loud. Evie, what am I supposed to do around here?"

"His Majesty has been generous enough to bring along all of your things from the Aboveground."

"Very generous," Olivia said dryly. "Where are my things, I'm afraid I don't see any."

The girl nodded toward a door that was incongruously small compared to the rest of the room and Olivia hurried toward it, eager for the comfort of her things. The room the door led to was also a great deal smaller than the other room, and far less lavishly appointed, but she found she liked it.

There was an extremely comfortable looking couch in the middle of the room. She was immediately captivated by the bookcase that held so very many books. Some of the books were hers and she recognized several others as well, though she had never owned them, but some of them had strange titles that she assumed were written in and about the Underground.

Olivia spent the morning reading until the exhaustion she had been ignoring finally overtook her.

* * *

"She is sleeping, Your Majesty."

"You may leave, Evie."

The girl bobbed a curtsy, blushing furiously when he said her name.

Jareth opened the small door to what had become Olivia's private sitting room. She lay on the couch with an open book in her hand. He took in her scent. She smelled like sun warmed skin, like a baby, like honeysuckle. All mixed with a drowsy, seductive something else that he couldn't place. It was interesting, he had thought she would smell like Sarah, but she had a completely unique smell.

But then, the only true similarities he had seen between mother and daughter were that long, dark hair and defiant natures, though the latter seemed more prevalent in the daughter. Where Sarah had a classic, delicate beauty, her daughter was more striking than conventionally beautiful. The girl was possessed of wide, high cheekbones and slanting, caramel eyes under delicately arched brows. But the thing that drew Jareth's attention again and again was her lush, enticing mouth, so at odds with her stubborn jaw. That mouth hinted at a sensuality she was obviously unaware of.

He took a step toward her, only to stop when those lips parted now in a dream sigh, causing her undeniably lovely breasts to rise, he felt a surge of desire. He examined it, surprised at his reaction to her. It had been years since he had found himself actually and truly aroused. He sated his need on a regular basis and so didn't often feel a true desire for a woman.

Jareth frowned and this was what Olivia woke to.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice husky from sleep.

"I was merely coming to see how you were fairing."

"Checking up on me? I'm fine. Well, as fine as I can be under the circumstances."

"Mhm. Well, it is very nearly dusk, what were you planning on doing for the rest of the evening?"

"I hadn't given it much thought."

"Join me for dinner."

"I'd rather not," she said with unflattering haste.

His eyebrows rose. "Very well. I hope you enjoy your evening." He turned to leave.

"Wait."

He faced her again. "Yes?"

"Why am I here?"

"I've told you, you are here because I--"

"But why do you want me here?"

His crystalline eyes hardened more than she would have thought humanly possible. "You are bait." With that he disappeared in a rush of glitter and warm air.


	4. Dinner and Dicoveries

_Author's Note: Hi, all. Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, I was having a serious lack of inspiration. What I did write isn't very good, but it gets it going a little bit and hopefully the next chapter will be better. _

_I don't own Labyrinth, I never have, I never will.  
_

* * *

Chapter 4: Dinner and Discoveries

Olivia sighed deeply and put down her book. She was so very bored.

In the week since she had refused the Goblin King's invitation to dinner she had not left her room. It was not that she didn't want to, she would have absolutely loved to go and explore her surroundings, but she was forbidden to leave.

Seemed the man was throwing a bit of a temper tantrum. When she had voiced her opinion to Evie, the girl had gasped and shushed her, warning, "His Majesty hears everything."

Hears everything my ass.

She went to the only window in her little sitting room, looking out at the sprawling maze as she had countless times. No, not maze, labyrinth. Evie had been adamant on that point. It really was quite beautiful just then, with sunlight turning the ugly, tan stones to gold. The thing seemed to breathe, to sparkle with a life of its own. An eerie thought, that, such a huge thing, alive.

Looking at the labyrinth, she got a strange feeling of homecoming. Ridiculous. How could she feel like she was home when she was in the castle of a man who had kidnapped her?

At the thought of home, her real home, she frowned. Not for the first time since being snatched so cruelly from the warm bosom of her family, she thought of her mom, uncle, and grandma. They were probably worried about her; she wasn't the type to disappear without warning.

She heard rough voices shouting from the yard below her window, followed by raucous laughter. At least someone is having fun, she thought glumly.

Her vision became blurry and she removed her glasses, rubbing her eyes. After putting her glasses back on, she frowned when her vision hadn't cleared and her head began to ache; she'd been having problems with her eyes since her arrival at Goblin Castle, but usually taking her glasses off and giving her eyes a little break relieved her of the dull throb. Again, she took off her glasses. She could see with complete clarity. Blinking rapidly, she slid her glasses up her nose. Blurry. No glasses. Clear.

The door opened behind her and Evie entered. "Evening, my lady." She was grinning broadly.

"Hi, Evie." Olivia looked away from her glasses. "What are you so cheery about?" she asked sullenly.

"You must come away from the window, my lady. You've got to have a bath and I have to dress you before you appear before the king."

Olivia straightened, turning from the window. "What?"

"His Majesty requests your presence in the dining hall be seven o'clock. We only have two hours." The girl hesitated, expecting her to refuse.

"You mean I'm actually going to be allowed out of this room?"

Evie chose to ignore her, leading her into the large, surprisingly modern bathroom, then busied herself filling the great marble bathtub with warm water and sweet-smelling powders.

As the water ran, Evie made short work of Olivia's dress and under things.

"Get in, my lady," Evie pulled the chemise over her head, "we haven't much time."

* * *

She waited in front of a set of heavy, darkly stained doors that stood well over ten feet tall. Olivia felt like an absolute dwarf.

On the other side of those doors, she knew, a tall, slim man waited for her. Suddenly she was nervous, remembering his deep chuckle in her ear and those buttery-soft gloves sliding over her skin. She shivered. Nerves.

The doors started to open slowly. Scary time.

* * *

Jareth's eyes widened slightly. She cleaned up rather nicely.

The girl wore a dark blue gown that made her skin glow. He thought of how that skin might feel against his own and the desire he had felt that first day returned full force.

She stopped in front of him.

"Good evening." He gestured to the chair next to him. "Sit."

She settled into the chair, darting him a nervous glance.

"Eat."

Olivia nodded gratefully and began eating, slowly, not wanting him to think her a complete slob.

_And what does it matter what he thinks? _a little voice asked her. _He's a terrible man anyway. A kidnapper. A handsome kidnapper. An incredibly handsome, unbelievably sexy--_

That's enough out of you!

She looked at him, a guilty flush creeping onto her cheeks. God, she hoped he couldn't tell what she was thinking.

He began to eat, never looking away from her.

"Why are you staring at me?"

That maddening smile made an appearance. "I've just noticed that you have discarded those horrid glasses. Trying to look pretty for me?"

Olivia reddened again. "No. I've been getting headaches!" When his smile widened to a grin she realized it amused him to see her bristle and she strove for a calm, flat tone. "My eyesight seems to be improving and apparently I no longer need glasses. It's really weird actually. I've worn glasses since I was eight."

"Hmm, that is odd. Usually…" he trailed off, looking away from her for the first time that evening.

"Usually what?"

"Nothing. You know, I rather like you without glasses, shows your lovely eyes better."

"Oh yes, lovely eyes. I think you're the one with a vision problem."

He laughed a little and Olivia felt that chill race along her spine again.

"So much fire. You remind me so of your mother."

She stiffened. "My mother? How do you know my mom?"

"Oh, I know your mother better than you do, pretty Olivia. I know things about your mother that she doesn't even know."

"How do you know her?"

"I met her when she was just a bit younger than you. A spoiled girl. She wished away her brother and when I was kind enough to grant her wish, she balked."

"Wished away? Uncle Toby? My mom would never--"

"Oh, yes she would, and she did. But I, in my infinite generosity, gave her thirteen hours to get him back. To run my labyrinth."

She searched his face for signs that he was lying, but his face was a beautiful, lean mask. They stared at each other in absolute, tense silence for several minutes. Finally, she spoke, her mouth expelling the words that had been filling her head to bursting. "Who am I bait for?"

"Why, your mother of course." He kept his tone light, too light.

"Why?"

"I hardly need to give you reasons for my actions--"

"It's because she beat you isn't it? She must have beaten you because Uncle Toby is fine."

He absolutely hated to think of that spoiled, arrogant girl and her _friends _getting through all his defenses. Jareth's lips thinned and he was experiencing more anger than he had in almost twenty-three years, but Olivia was oblivious to everything and she kept going, heedless of any consequences.

"Did you really kidnap me because you're pissed at my mom for _beating_ you? How immature can you get?" She smirked a bit as she noticed his stiff posture. "Guess your fragile little ego can't deal with being beaten by a teenage girl. She must have pulverized you."

She didn't see him stand up, but suddenly he was right in front of her, pulling her out of her chair. Before she fully comprehended what had happened, she was pressed fully against him, his hands gripping her upper arms painfully. "Watch your mouth, girl, or you will regret it."

Fear turned her skin to ice. She gazed up at him mutely, realizing just how much bigger he was than her. Olivia felt the taut muscle beneath his fine clothes, and though he appeared slender, she could feel the strength in his grip. He could crush her right now if he wanted to.

Glacial blue and tawny eyes clashed.

Her lower lip began to tremble and Jareth wanted nothing more than to nibble the pink flesh, to redden her mouth with his.

She sensed more than saw his change, and when his hands released her arms in favor of the small of her back, she was too shocked to move. His unequal gaze lit with something that she didn't think was anger, but it was hot and it frightened her almost as much.

When his head began to lower, she started struggling. "You're-you're right, I should--"

Her attempt to stall was cut off by his lips touching hers. Strange, she would have imagined them to be hard and as icy as his eyes, but they were soft. Soft, but still firm and they were becoming more insistent with every passing second.

Olivia had thought she didn't like kissing. The few boys who had ever attempted it were apparently doing it wrong because she liked this a lot. The pleasant pressure of his mouth was doing strange things to the rest of her body. Her limbs felt quivery and warm. And she felt…swollen and achy, but not in her extremities.

His tongue was sliding across her bottom lip, begging to be let in and she opened to him without a thought. Ah, she was sweet. So sweet. When her arms rose and she clasped his neck he felt a sense of victory. His kisses slowly left her mouth to caress her throat, her collarbone.

Olivia's eyes shot open when she felt the wet warmth of his tongue in the valley between her breasts. She found the strength that had deserted her minutes before and shoved at his chest. "No."

His eyes flicked up to her face. "No?" He murmured against the incredibly soft flesh before him.

She shoved him again. "No."

He straightened, his pale eyes boring into her. When she thought he would kiss her again, he let her go, stepping away.

Olivia stood completely incapable of movement in front of him, eyes wide, cheeks flushed. She was trying so hard to run away, but her body didn't seem to be responding with its usual celerity.

"Well, go on."

At his words, her body snapped into motion, her feet carrying her out of the room faster than she had ever run before.

Jareth stood with hands on the table, mentally berating himself. He hadn't meant to kiss her. He hadn't meant to become angry with her. He hadn't meant to do anything but show her that he didn't mean her any harm.

Well he'd botched that, hadn't he?


	5. The Garden

_Author's Note: I have designed a time machine and I went back in time, manipulated the circumstances a bit (through mostly honest means) and Labyrinth does in fact belong to me now. Bow down before my superior intellect._

* * *

Chapter 5: The Garden

Her back was pressed against the door. She was breathing erratically and she could feel herself shaking.

Evie came out of the bathroom with a basket of towels, nearly giving her a heart attack. "You're back much sooner than I--My lady, whatever is the matter?"

She must look terrible for Evie to be startled into saying something about her appearance. She was panting, sweating, and red-faced, if the heat in her cheeks was any indication.

"N-nothing."

"Nothing? You look as if you ran from the dining hall." She gasped when her mistress's already flushed face grew even redder. "You didn't run all the way here, my lady?"

Olivia shook her head. "Not _all _the way."

The girl peered at her through narrowed blue eyes. "Why are you back so early, anyway? I wasn't expecting you for at least another hour."

"I asked to leave early." She smothered a fake yawn. "I'm very tired."

Evie stared at her for a few more seconds and then, apparently deciding to give it up for now, she shrugged. "Well, turn around, my lady, and I will remove your dress."

Olivia turned, silently thanking God that Evie hadn't pressed her for the real reason she had fled the king's presence. She didn't think she could continue to lie to the girl who had fast become her friend.

When Evie left, Olivia went to her private room; pulling a chair up to the window, she sat.

An enormous moon hung over the labyrinth, spreading its silver light over the monstrosity.

Her mom had gone through that? She couldn't imagine such a thing. _Her _mom hated everything this place was. Imagination. Magic. Mystery.

Sarah Williams would never go to a place like this. Not in a million years. Would she? No, of course not. But why would the Goblin King lie? Why wouldn't he? It was so out of character for her mom though, wasn't it?

In all honesty, she didn't know her, not as a person. She knew her as a caretaker, the one who sacrificed for her, fought with her, encouraged her. She saw the goddess, the doctor, the teacher, the tyrant. But never the person.

There were questions buzzing around her head like so many bees. What was her mom really about? Had she really fought her way through the labyrinth? How was she going to save her from this place?

Olivia shuddered when she thought of staying here forever. "Please hurry, Mom."

* * *

Sarah sat down on her daughter's bed, picking up Olivia's favorite stuffed animal, a bear named Lancelot that Toby had given her when she was born. The bear that she had given to Toby. She stroked his tattered ear; it was matted from Olivia's childhood. She'd gone through a phase where she chewed or sucked on everything, Sarah still caught her doing it.

God, the bear was old. She remembered the day her mother had given him to her. She had been three. And her mother had been young and beautiful still. Her mother the actress, her mother the star. She sighed, her mother the addict.

What was it about her that drove the people she loved away? Her mother, Jacob, the only two that hadn't run out on her were Olivia and Toby. Now Olivia was gone.

"Oh, my poor baby. Where are you?" Sarah spoke to the bear in her arms.

Toby stood in the doorway. His handsome face was drawn and he looked pale. He crossed and sat next to Sarah, putting his arm around her. "We'll find her, Sarah. It'll be okay. Everything is going to be okay." She could hear his voice breaking, stretching tight under the strain of fear.

"What if it's not though?" She fought hard against the tears. "What if we never see her again? What if she's--"

"No," he said fiercely. "She's fine." He let her go. "Have you checked with Jacob?"

Sarah stiffened. "You don't think he would-?"

"I don't know. I just think we should cover all our bases." He hesitated. "Just in case."

* * *

"My lady. My lady, wake up." A groan from under the covers. "Come now, I've got breakfast for you. Eat up."

"Just a few more minutes. I promise I'll get up in a few more minutes."

Evie voice was pure sugar. "All right, my lady, we'll go see the gardens another day."

"Gardens?" She winced as Evie pulled back the comforter. "As in outside?"

"That's where most gardens are, my lady." She pushed her against a pillow and placed a tray laden with a delicious, hearty breakfast in front of her. "But you have to eat."

"After last night, I'm surprised that I'm not stuck in my room for the rest of my life," Olivia muttered through a mouthful of biscuit and sausage.

"Why? What happened last night?" Evie was on her like a hawk on a mouse.

She had forgotten that she hadn't told Evie about the Goblin King's…friendly behavior last night, or his unfriendly behavior. "Oh, I don't know, maybe my early departure offended him," she replied, keeping her voice airy.

"Mhm. Well, His Majesty must be feeling generous because he specifically said that you were to be shown around today. The gardens will be saved for last. They're beautiful at sunset. "

"Oh, I guess I didn't think this place would have a garden."

The girl began flipping through the wardrobe, searching for a dress. "Of course there are gardens. Every castle has gardens."

"Ah, yes, silly me." Olivia rolled her eyes.

Evie fixed her with a look. "Well hurry up and eat. We want to get out there while it's still nice. Oh, I just know that you'll just love the gardens."

* * *

The entire castle was a veritable maze filled with wonders beyond her wildest dreams. Though she fully intended to visit both the library and music room later, she was utterly enthralled by the splendor of what lay before her.

She had wondered why Evie kept calling it "the gardens," well, now she knew. It wasn't simply a garden, with a few flowers. It was a giant wonderland of vibrant colors and interesting sounds. Never in her life had she seen such a vast array of plant life.

The hedges of the garden were trimmed into fantastic creatures and elaborate shapes. Paths were all lined with dark blue-green flowers, called eilises. They looked something like roses mixed with lilies. Gorgeous. Evie informed her that the flowers were there because of the Goblin King, that they were the symbol of his family.

Strange, to think of him with a family. That implied that he had been a baby once, that he had a mother and father and possibly siblings.

In the center of the garden, there was a tree. It was tall as her hip with very light green leaves and creamy white bark. Olivia reached down to stroke one of the leaves, only to have it jerk away. She frowned and looked over her shoulder at Evie who smiled and encouraged her with a little flip of her hands.

Olivia reached out to touch the leaf again. Again, it jerked back. "Incredible."

"Yeah, well, I'm proud of it," said a high-pitched, tinkling voice.

When she heard the voice, Olivia dropped to her knees in front of the tree. "Did you just talk, Tree?"

"I ain't a tree."

A small woman no taller than her forearm was long came from behind the tree. She had long, pale green hair and her skin was the same soft, milky color as the bark.

"Oh, you're absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you, miss. You ain't too bad yourself."

Olivia blushed. "Thank you." She stared at the lovely little creature. Creature? "If you don't mind my asking, what are you?"

The little woman laughed, a very pretty sound, like a bird's song. "Me? I'm a sprite."

"A sprite?"

"'S matter? You never seen one before?"

She shook her head. She'd read about sprites before, in mythology books, but of course she'd never seen one, they didn't exist! At least they didn't where she came from. She glanced at Evie. "Well, now you have," she laughed. "How are you, Chloris?"

"Well enough, Evie, well enough."

"What kind of sprite are you?"

"Wood sprite." She began touching the leaves of the tree with her long, pale fingers.

"What are you doing?"

"Doin' my job. You see, sprites are kinda like guardians. We protec' things what can't protec' themselves."

"Like this tree," Evie elaborated.

"Exactly. This is my tree. My garden really, but mostly my tree. Say, miss, what's your name?"

"Olivia."

"What're you doin' at the castle? You ain't a fae."

"I'm…visiting the Goblin King." Something registered inside her head. "What's a fae?"

The sprite made a noise in the back of her throat that sounded like a cricket's chirp and tossed Evie an amused look. "What's a fae? Oh, that's rich, that is. Never seen a sprite, don't know what a fae is." When she saw Olivia's face, her laughter died. "You really don't know? 'Most all of the big'uns are fae. The dwarves and goblins that ain't much bigger'n me, but they ain't of no consequence. The faes run everythin' 'round here. At least, they think they do. Nobody runs nature. Except my mum," she added proudly.

"Who's your mom?"

"Well, her name's Gaea, but most folks call her Mother Nature."

"Your mom…is Mother Nature?"

"Goodness, don't get her started, my lady."

"My lady? She's no lady, she's just a sprout." Her thin face lit up suddenly. "I think my tree can fend for itself for a little while, would you like to take a walk? You still ain't seen the pond, have you?"

"No. I didn't know there was one."

"I was saving that for last, my lady."

"Well, come on, I ain't got all day."

She moved much more quickly than Olivia would have thought she could, given her size, and soon they stood on a brightly painted bridge over the large pond.

"It's so pretty."

"Yeah, I like to come here nights and watch when the firebugs come out."

The two sat on the bridge. Olivia pulled her dress up to keep from getting it wet. Evie stood beside them, looking very prim and proper until the sprite splashed water at her. "Sit down, you ninny. No use standing when you can sit."

Evie settled down next to Olivia and they stared out at the water, giggling when the little goldfish nibbled their toes. Well, Evie and Olivia giggled, Chloris looked at them as if they were insane for such a simple thing amusing them. But then, her legs were much too short to reach the water.

They sat in companionable silence until Olivia thought of something.

"Chloris, why do you live in the garden?"

"Jareth asked me to look after the garden so that he could have my tree."

"Jareth? Who's Jareth, and why would he want your tree?"

"Who's Jareth?" Again that melodious, beautiful laugh. "You keep me in stitches, you do, 'Livia. Can't see how you can't know the name of a man you're visitin' with."

"A man I'm visiting--" She broke off. "You mean the Goblin King?"

Chloris nodded, her warm brown eyes twinkling.

"Jareth." She rolled the name around on her tongue. Tasting it, examining it. Jareth. It was a nice name, as much as names can be nice. It was exotic enough to suit its strange, beautiful owner, but also it was familiar, grounding, and it made him seem more real. More in-depth. More like a person. "So strange," she murmured.

"It isn't. It's a good name, a strong name, the perfect name for a king," Evie was quick to defend.

Olivia smiled. "I didn't mean the name. I meant that knowing he has a name makes him seem more…human."

"He's not human." The sprite grinned, exposing slightly pointed teeth.

Evie smiled a little, too. "Did you think him nameless, my lady?"

"I guess I never thought of it. I mean, it's not exactly something you think about." She sat quietly for a minute. "Jareth."

* * *

The girl was sitting on the bridge with Chloris and Evie. Her skirt was hiked up to mid-thigh, exposing smooth, tan skin. He wondered how far up that tan went. _Stop_, he scolded himself. He stood behind them, watching her.

"Jareth."

"Yes?"

She turned, her cheeks flaming. "I-I was just--I didn't--"

Evie stood quickly, pushing her skirt back down over her still damp legs. "Your Majesty." She curtsied.

"Evie," he acknowledged her.

"Hallo, Jareth. Haven't seen you in a good while." Chloris waved from her seat next to Olivia.

"Chloris. How is everything?"

"Don't you mean how's my tree?" she asked, grinning up at him defiantly.

His eyes darted to Olivia. "Very well then, how is your tree?"

"Just fine. Should be bloomin' soon, then the fruit'll come."

"I am happy to hear it." He turned to Olivia. "I believe Evie was supposed to be giving you a tour of the castle and grounds. I do hope that you haven't been in the garden all this time."

"No, she showed me around. You have a lovely home." She wasn't looking him in the eye.

"Well, I thought I would come get you myself to tell you that dinner is prepared and it awaits us in the dining hall."

"Oh." She looked nervously at Chloris. "Would you mind terribly if Chloris came?"

The sprite looked at him, obviously aware of the tension between them. "Rather not, 'Livia. Maybe some other time, gotta get back to the topiary, you know. See you, Jareth." She disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

"Evie?" she asked desperately.

"I can't, my lady. I have quite a few things to do before I prepare you for bed tonight." She curtsied again and disappeared around the hedges before Olivia could stop her.

"Are you afraid that I'll force myself on you if we are alone together?" His voice was so close behind her.

"Of-of course not. I just wanted to get to know her better."

He sighed. "I would like to apologize for my actions last night. It was incredibly inappropriate."

She stared at her hands. Why couldn't she look at him?

"I won't touch you again."

_Oh, but I want you to touch me, it felt wonderful. I've never felt anything like that in my entire--_

"Thank you."

They stood in silence for several minutes, both waiting for the other to say something, anything.

"Shall we go in for dinner then?"

She nodded dumbly.

As they started slowly back toward the castle, he spoke again. "I have no intention of hurting you, you know."

Olivia turned disbelieving eyes on him. "You kidnapped me, why should I believe that?"

"You haven't done anything to deserve my wrath. I did not arbitrarily choose you. You are your mother's most prized possession."

She stopped walking. "Why do you hate her so much? It can't just be because she beat you at some stupid little contest."

Jareth stared at her, debating whether to tell her the truth. Whether or not to tell her that her mother had rejected his offer, that she had chosen a troublesome little child over him. Him! The Goblin King. The most feared and revered king in the Underground. Passed over in favor of a child.

_But_, he told himself,_ that isn't the only reason you're so upset with her. _That was true enough.

The girl was still looking at him. "She took something that belongs to me, and I want it back," he said simply.

* * *

_Author's Note: The Author's note at the beginning of this chapter is a total lie. I did invent a time machine and I did use it to go back in time, but I didn't steal Labyrinth from its fantastic creators. I just knocked a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed_ _king's shiny, leather boots. Okay, that's not true either. I'm just making things up to try to spice up my dull, dull life._


	6. Visions

_Author's Note: Thank you to those who reviewed, I appreciate your encouragement. Now I have to go into the whole "I don't own Labyrinth or any of it's characters" bit. Oh, never mind, I've just said it._

* * *

Chapter 6: Visions

"I'm sorry, Ms.--" the man looked down at the papers in his hands--"Williams, but we haven't found anything."

"She's been gone over a week."

"We haven't had any leads."

"How hard are you trying?"

"Look, if we don't have any leads, we can't exactly find the girl."

"This is my daughter!" She threw Toby's hand off her shoulder. "Not just some girl."

"I'm sorry, that's not how I meant it. I understand how you feel, but--"

"Do you have kids, Detective?"

The question obviously startled him. He shook his head.

"Then you can't possibly know how I feel."

Sarah quickly left the police station, fighting back tears of frustration, rage, and fear.

Toby gave the policeman a tight smile and followed Sarah, grabbing her shoulders. "Sarah, stop."

"Let me go, Toby."

"No, Sarah. You need to stop doing this to yourself."

"I can't. Don't you understand that I can't?"

"Yes, you can. I want her back as much as you do, but it's already enough strain just worrying. You're stretching yourself too thin. You can't keep doing this."

She collapsed against him. "Oh, Toby, it's just so hard to think about never seeing her again."

"I know."

She looked up and for just a split-second, she saw another face. A cruel, beautiful face with clear blue eyes, one pupil larger than the other.

"_Sarah_."

Who-?

Her vision swam and she saw Olivia lying in her bed, sleeping. Suddenly she _knew _that Olivia was home, waiting for her.

Elation coursed through her and she broke away from Toby, running to her car.

"Sarah?" Toby ran after her. "Sarah, what is it?"

"Get in, there's no time. We have to get home."

They sped along the deserted road--deserted because it was Sunday morning and the entire town was in church.

Sarah didn't stop to turn the car off when they got there. "Olivia." She sprinted up the stairs and into Olivia's room.

It was empty.

"No! No, she was here." She pulled the covers off the bed. "I saw her. I saw her!"

"Sarah, is that you?" A tall, blonde woman entered the room. "Sarah, what's going on?"

Sarah glanced at the woman. Her eyes were red and puffy.

"I saw her. She was here."

"What do you mean, you saw her? Tell me what happened, Sarah."

She sat shakily on the bed. "She was here, Toby. I swear I saw her outside the police station. She was sleeping and I-I--"

Toby exchanged looks with his mother.

"Sarah, you need to rest."

"I'm fine."

"I agree with Toby, you really do need to slow down. It's not healthy."

"Angela, I said I'm fine."

"But you're not fine," she started, "you can't--"

"Can't what? Can't handle this? I handled it when my _real_ mother left. I handled it when she died. I handled it when Dad died. I can handle it now." She stood her legs slightly wobbly. "I'm going to Jacob's"

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"I don't care! I'm going. I'm going to find her, Toby."

They locked eyes and, after a tense minute, he sighed. "I'm coming with you."

* * *

There was a ridiculously loud pounding. Maybe it was his head, he had had a little too much to drink last night, but hell, she was only going to turn twenty-one once, right?

The pounding stopped and he heard Carrie answering the door.

Her voice rose quickly and he heard a small crash.

The door slammed open and there stood Sarah, hands on hips.

"Sarah?"

"Do you know where she is?"

He must be worse off than he'd thought. Sarah couldn't be here. He hadn't seen her in two years.

"Who? What are you talking about?"

Carrie burst into the room. "I'm sorry, Jake. I couldn't stop her."

He looked at her, suddenly ashamed by how young she was. He was old enough to be her father. "Put some clothes on."

He full bottom lip poked out in a pout, and she pulled a pair of shorts over the barely-there underwear she wore. "Sorry, baby."

"Do you know where she is?" Sarah repeated.

Jacob sat up, bringing the bed sheet with him to cover his nudity. He glared at Sarah's kid brother. "You can quit ogling my girlfriend." As Toby sputtered an excuse, he turned to Carrie. "Why don't you go make some breakfast, Car?"

The young woman leaned onto the bed, giving him a kiss full on the mouth. Then she gave Sarah a spiteful look and sashayed past Toby with her chest stuck way out.

"Now do I know where who is?"

"Our daughter."

"What do you mean?"

Sarah shifted her weight onto her left foot. "So you don't know?"

"Know what? What's happened? Why don't you know where she is?"

"She's been missing since the day after her birthday."

He was out of bed. "How could you not tell me something like this?"

"It doesn't really concern you anymore."

"Doesn't concern me? She's my daughter, too."

"Why are you suddenly so interested in her? You haven't even tried to contact her in over a year. Too busy with your little slut girlfriend to care about your daughter, huh?"

He flinched. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. He hadn't really given Olivia much thought since her sixteenth birthday.

"She's not a slut," he defended.

"Sleeping with married men is considered slutty by most polite society."

And they were back to that. Every time he spoke to Sarah, they ended up fighting about Carrie.

He regretted it. He wasn't going to lie to himself, Sarah was the only woman he'd ever really loved and for those first fourteen years together, things had been amazing. But it had changed suddenly and he had dreaded going home to her at night, dreaded the inevitable argument about bills or their relationship or Olivia, whatever struck her fancy.

Then Carrie had come along. When he met her, Carrie was a summer intern at the law firm for which he worked--her dad was high up there in the firm. He and Sarah had been having trouble for a little over a year and Carrie was everything Sarah wasn't at the time. Respectful, sweet, carefree, fun. Young and with a body to kill for, not that Sarah was any slouch in that department, but Carrie had an almost obscenely curvy figure and after a few months, he hadn't been able to resist her many invitations.

When Sarah found out, she had quickly filed for divorce she had moved into her father's house. He had sold their house, unable to live in it without her, and moved in with Carrie. The only time he saw her was on the rare occasion that he went and picked Olivia up. Olivia.

"Look, leave her out of this. What information do the police have?"

"None." Sarah looked close to tears.

Toby came to stand beside her, resting his hand on her shoulder. "They don't know anything. There was no sign of any kind of struggle in her room, or anywhere else in the house for that matter. It's as if she disappeared into thin air."

"Well, they can't be looking hard enough. Do you want me to hire someone? Maybe a private investigator could find her."

Sarah nodded frantically, seeing a glimmer of hope. "Yes, oh, yes. Do you really think they could?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly, "but it can't hurt to try."

* * *

"_You really are quite beautiful, Olivia."_

_She shook her head, feeling her cheeks burst with color. "Thank you, but I know that I'm never going to be as beautiful as my mom."_

_He shook his head. "Your mother is lovely, but you, my dear, you are breath-taking. Your hair is like the finest silk, your skin the smoothest satin, your eyes the brightest jewels."_

_He was whispering directly into her ear and his lips brushed her skin, sending desire rocketing through her. _

"_May I touch you, love?"_

_She stared up at him. Touch her? She couldn't let him do that, she hardly knew him. _

It's just a dream, _her conscience said. _Nothing wrong with enjoying a dream.

_But he had seen her last dream._

He won't this time though. He can't possibly. There are rules.

_Well that made sense. And he was so very, very handsome. _

_She nodded and his lips were on hers. His skin was on hers. Where had her clothes gone?_

"_Where are my--?"_

"_You needn't worry about that. It is unimportant. Think only of this."_

_Pleasure pulsed through her. "Oh."_

_She almost collapsed, but he caught her and held her to him. The pleasure was mounting. She began to shake. His eyes stared into hers and she couldn't look away from him._

Olivia woke with a jerk, panting and shaking violently. She sighed and climbed out of the massive four-poster.

Again. She'd dreamt about him again. It was the fifth time this week. She wished she could go back to not dreaming.

When she first came to the Underground, her dreams had ceased. Now, she had started to dream again, and it wasn't for the better. In each dream, he came to her, kissing her, touching her, making her wake up flushed and aching.

She didn't want to dream about things like that. She didn't want to think about the dreams every time she saw him. It was terribly embarrassing to have to look him in those lovely, hard eyes and remember that pleasure. The soul-shaking feeling. The look on his face as she almost--

God, she couldn't stop thinking about him even in her dreams.

* * *

Jareth smiled and set down his crystal.

He enjoyed toying with the girl. She was ridiculously easy to manipulate, just like her mother. Her mind was slightly less whimsical though, she was more solid. Not completely entranced by her dream, that could make her a little bit harder to control. But no matter, she was much more receptive to his advances--probably because she was older--and that could only work to his advantage.

His plan was going quite smoothly. The only hitch being that he desired the girl. A minor detail, causing him to change tacks. It was something he needed to look into.

Soon it would be time to implement the second part of his scheme, though.

Ah, Sarah was going to be furious and he was going to enjoy every second of it.


	7. A Budding Friendship?

_Author's Note: Oh, my God. I am so sorry to anyone who reads my story. I've had a ton of crazy stuff going on in my life for the past couple of months, so I haven't had a lot of time to write more chapters. I feel super bad for abandoning everyone, but when life rears its ugly head, it's hard to ignore. Sadly, this weekend my high school's drama troupe is doing Little Women the musical--I'm Aunt March :(--so I'm probably not going to have much time to write throughout Hell Week, but I promise I will try to get a new chapter out._

* * *

Chapter 7: A Budding Friendship?

Olivia lay staring up at the canopy of her bed. She had been like this for a long time, probably around two hours. Laying here. Thinking. About him.

She had had another dream. It had lasted longer. It had finished with her--well, it had finished and so had she. That had never happened before, and while it hadn't happened, she could pretend that the dreams were meaningless. But now that she had experienced that ultimate release…

"Up already, my lady? I didn't think you _could_ wake up this early, especially on your own." Evie's voice intruded on her thoughts.

Olivia snorted, glad for the distraction Evie provided. "You make me sound like such a burden."

"Not at all, my lady. I love being your maid. I just hate having to try to force you out of bed every morning."

"You're exaggerating. I'm not that hard to wake up."

Evie smiled. "Whatever you say, my lady." The girl was setting out her clothes. "Will you have a bath this morning?"

Olivia nodded. "Evie, do you know of a way to block dreams that you don't want to have?"

"What kind of dreams?" She looked up curiously.

"Just dreams in general, really."

"Maybe. You could ask His Majesty if he knew--"

"No!"

Evie's eyebrows shot up.

"I wouldn't want to bug him. It's no big deal. I just thought I might get better sleep without dreams."

"What have you been dreaming about that troubles your sleep, my lady?"

"Nothing specific. I'm just tired when I wake up."

"I might be able to get you some kind of sleep medicine if you'd like."

"That would be great, Evie."

"Well, come on, let's hurry up, His Majesty mustn't be kept waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

"His Majesty said he wanted to meet you down in the gardens."

* * *

Jareth slowed his brisk steps when he saw her. She was sitting on a bench, having what appeared to be a rather animated discussion with Chloris. Her long, dark hair was loose around her shoulders and down her back and she was wearing a lovely yellow dress that made her olive skin glow.

"I don't care what you say, it's just not possible."

"Not possible? Not only is it possible, it happens all the time."

"Then prove it."

The sprite shrugged. "I can't right now, they ain't ready yet."

"Of course, you've got to wait, right?"

"I ain't avoidin' anythin'! It's just not ready. You'll have to wait at least two more weeks."

"Hopefully, I won't be here that much longer." Olivia looked at Chloris sadly.

Jareth picked that moment to make his presence known. "Good Morning, Olivia. Chloris."

Chloris smiled and stood. "Mornin', Jareth." She turned to Olivia. "I'll prove it to you as soon as they're ready. If you stick around until then."

She smiled again and walked away, disappearing into the shrubbery.

"May I ask what she was talking about?"

"Nothing." She quickly changed the subject. "Evie said that you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, I wanted to spend the day with you. Get to know you better."

She stood, her honey eyes distrustful. "Why?"

"Contrary to what you may believe, I'm not a monster. I don't wish you any harm and I don't see why we can't be civil to each other."

"Just civil?"

"I already told you that I'm not going to touch you again."

She looked down, her thoughts becoming instantly traitorous. _I don't mind if you touch me. It felt damn good and I don't care if you do it right now. In fact, I want you to. Touch me. Kiss me._

"That wasn't what I meant, but thanks."

She was avoiding his eyes again, and she had become meek. He wanted to see that defiance that spirit.

"It's no trouble really. I don't want to be bothered by you following me around like a ghost."

That did it. Her eyes snapped up to his and her hands became fists.

"Why would I do that? I didn't exactly enjoy it. I don't make a habit of kissing complete strangers. Unlike you, I have morals."

Whoa, she was overreacting. He had gotten too close to the truth though. She needed to just calm down and--

He smirked. "Oh, you do? If memory serves, you were pressing quite sweetly against me."

Her cheeks flushed with color. "I-I was struggling to free myself."

"Were you?" Jareth stepped closer. "Shall we test that theory?"

Her eyes widened and she shook her head. When he reached for her, she turned and started toward a stand of flowers, chased by his deep, mocking laughter.

"Oh, don't get in a huff. I wasn't being serious."

She eyed him suspiciously over her shoulder. "You meaning you were joking?"

He nodded and she smiled. Jareth was awe-stricken. He had never seen her smile before. It was quite charming. She had dimples when she smiled and he thought that he would like to make her smile more often just to see them.

"Well, you shouldn't joke about things like that, they're just not funny."

He bowed. "I'm sorry to have offended you."

They stared at each other for quite some time before she finally looked away. "So show me around, Evie and I got distracted last time."

* * *

They stood in a wide corridor, the entire east wall of which was composed of tall windows looking out on the gardens. The gardens they had spent the entire day exploring. It was nice to talk to someone, even if that someone was your kidnapper.

God, it was all so confusing. At first he had been entirely infuriating, smirking and baiting her, making her feel like an idiot, telling her that he was out to get her mom. Then all of a sudden, he had changed. He was different toward her. He was funny now, he joked around with her, he seemed genuinely to want to be friends with her.

She looked at him. "Sorry, did you say something?"

"Lost in thought, my dear?"

She could feel her face begin to grow hot. That was something else that was bothering her. Before coming to the Underground, she _never_ blushed. It wasn't something she did. Now every time he opened his mouth she found herself turning red. What was wrong with her?

"I guess."

"I asked if you liked my castle."

"Should I? I'm a _prisoner_. As far as I know, most people being held _against their will_ don't exactly enjoy themselves." She was starting to realize that she had let her guard down far too much with him today. She had to remember that he was using her to get back at her mom. "Don't call me 'dear,'" she added belatedly.

Jareth fought back a frown. She had been like putty in his hands all afternoon, eating up his every word. Why the sudden change? "Most don't get treated nearly as well as you have been. I don't have to let you stay in such a nice room, with your own maid and the freedom to roam the castle and its grounds. I have a perfectly functional dungeon, you know."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Mhm. I'm still a prisoner."

"An exceptionally beautiful prisoner."

She blushed and shook her head. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what, my dear?"

"Call me beautiful. I know what I look like, thank you, and I don't like being lied to."

"What makes you think you're not beautiful?"

She turned to look out the window, drinking in the beauty of the gardens at sunset. "I've seen myself. In mirrors, in pictures. I'm passing pretty."

"Ah, but isn't beauty in the eye of the beholder?"

"That's what they say."

"Well, this beholder thinks you are incredibly beautiful."

She turned and her eyes widened when she realized how close he was to her. They weren't touching, but they weren't more than an inch apart. His legs were touching the skirt of her dress.

"Jareth, there you are! I've been looking for you for ages!"

They both turned. A woman was striding toward them, her arms outstretched.

Jareth moved away from Olivia. "You've found me."

The woman threw herself into his arms, plastering her mouth to his and pressing her winsome body against him.

Olivia felt her cheeks begin to burn. She started backing away from what she assumed was a passionate reunion between lovers.

When his mouth was his own again, Jareth frowned. He pried himself from the woman's grasp, looking around at Olivia. She was staring at him, her eyes those of an abused puppy.

The woman turned toward her and Olivia felt her breath stop.

"Olivia, this is Cassia."

Cassia was gorgeous. Tall and blessed with abundant curves, she was every man's dream and what every young girl hopes to look like when they grow up. Olivia felt utterly lacking next to her. She was completely aware of her modest bust, her now seemingly short stature, her less than breath-taking facial features.

A frown briefly flickered across Cassia's lovely face. He had introduced her to the girl. The lower person was always presented to the higher.

"Jareth. I've missed you so very much. I can't tell you how absolutely horrid it's been to be away from you." She kissed him again, disappointed that he wasn't responding quite the way she wanted him to.

He again freed himself from her arms, gave her a look and turned from her. His eyes searched the hall for Olivia, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Darling, did you hear me? I missed you terribly." She looked up at him with feigned shyness. "I was hoping we could catch up in your chambers."

She was touching him, trying to coax a reaction out of him.

"I'm busy this evening. Maybe tonight." He turned and left without another word.

Cassia frowned. He had been much more cold than usual.

It must have something to do with that girl. Who was she and why did she have such pull over him?

* * *

Jareth scowled at his desk. He couldn't focus on these damn papers. He had read the same paragraph at least three times and it still didn't make any sense. All he could think about was the look on Olivia's face when she saw Cassia kiss him.

She had run before he could come up with an explanation. Damn. This could seriously affect his plan. He was working hard to earn at least a little bit of her trust and just as it was starting to pay off, Cassia had come in and possibly set him back at square one. He needed her trust or his plan would never succeed.

There had to be something he could do to make her forget that little scene with Cassia.

* * *

_Author's Note: Again, I'm so sorry to those of you who actually take the time to read my meager attempts at writing an interesting story. _


	8. That Woman!

_Author's Note: After yet another long absence, I have returned, and I come bearing a new chapter. Again, I'm sorry I disappeared, didn't have a lot of time to write and when I did, I lacked inspiration. I'm sorry but, this is all I have to offer you. I wish I could give you a chapter that I (and you) considered worth the wait, instead of one that barely passes muster, but as I said I was sorely lacking in inspiration. I promise_ _the next chapter will be better and much sooner. Well, ta-ta, my lovlies._

* * *

Chapter 8: That Woman!

Olivia reprimanded herself harshly as she fled down the hallway to her room, and as she opened the door, and as she closed the door, and as she waited for Evie to appear. When Evie arrived with her dinner, she was still scolding herself.

Evie pushed open the door to Olivia's sitting room with her hip. "What has happened, my lady, to make your face screw up so?" she asked, setting the tray on the table in front of Olivia's favorite couch.

"Oh, Evie, I'm afraid I've made a fool of myself in front of the Goblin King again."

"I can't imagine His Majesty thinking you a fool, my lady."

"I let my guard down too much."

"Your guard? Why do you feel you need a guard?"

"You've spoken with him, he's volatile and unpredictable, I never know whether he is going to be cold and biting, or kind and warm to me."

"Unpredictable, my lady? His Majesty is anything but. He plans every little detail of his day. Never have I met anyone more displeased when they are forced to deviate from their schedule as he is tonight."

Olivia stared at her. Displeased to deviate? Did that mean that he planned to behave the way he did toward her? And why? Did he have other plans involving her? How was he going to use her to get back at her mother?

"How is he deviating tonight?"

"Not having dinner with you. You should have seen his face when he told me I was to bring your dinner to you."

She had wondered about that. "Why aren't we having dinner together?"

Evie shrugged. "I assume he is occupied with business matters, there was quite a stack on his desk."

"I see." Olivia ate quietly for a few minutes before asking another question. "Evie, who is Cassia to Jareth?"

A dark shadow crossed Evie's face. "Lady Cassia? How do you know of her, my lady?"

"I saw her today. They seemed quite...close."

"Lady Cassia is a _very _dishonorable woman." Evie gasped as she realized she had spoken against her superior. "That is--she is a lovely woman. She and His Majesty enjoy a marriage of sorts."

"Jareth's married?"

"Marriage is perhaps the wrong word." She searched for the right words and suddenly they burst from her mouth. "They are physical. She goes to his bed." The poor girl's cheeks were a brighter shade of red than the hair of the woman of which they spoke.

Olivia felt her cheeks redden as well. She had guessed as much, but hearing it put into words was something else. "Oh, I see."

"Yes, and as long as that is her place and she is acknowledged as such, she is treated nearly as well as His Majesty's wife would be, her actual title aside."

"Her actual title?"

"Lady Cassia is the Countess of Aelst."

"Aelst?"

"It is far to the north, my lady. Aelst is the northernmost point in His Majesty's realm. It borders the Elven territories."

"Oh."

After she had eaten, Evie bid her goodnight and left. Olivia subsided into quiet thoughts once again. She realized that she had been here nearly a month and she didn't know anything about the place. Elven territories? She supposed she should have realized that this castle wasn't the entire Underground. How big was it all? Was it really under the ground she had been walking on her entire life? If so, how far under? Why had no one ever discovered it before?

These questions gave birth to others. How had her mother come to be in this strange world? Why did Jareth despise her so much? There had to be more to it than what he was telling her. Her thoughts kept her up until well after midnight when she fell into dreams filled with a certain Goblin King.

* * *

Sarah couldn't tear her eyes away from the stuffed animal in her hand. It was a fox, wearing a cap with a long yellow feather in it and an eye patch. It was so damned familiar, but she couldn't figure why. She could almost hear its little voice speaking to her: "Remember, fair maiden, should you need us…"

But where had it come from, and why did it make her so unbearably sad? She felt as if…as if it were her friend. Which was stupid of course, it was a stuffed animal.

"Sarah?" Toby was back from the police station.

She dropped the fox on the couch and went to meet him in the foyer. "Well?" she asked hopefully.

He shook his head and she felt the tears forming again. "Have you talked with Jake?"

"Not yet. I was going to wait until I had talked to the police."

Sarah nodded, drifting listlessly up the stairs. "I'm going to go lay down."

"Do you need my--"

"I can manage, Toby. Thanks, but I need to be alone."

"Of course." Toby went off in search of his mother.

Angela was slumped over a mug of coffee in the kitchen. She looked up when he entered. "Any news?"

"No, Mom. They don't have anything."

"Oh, darn them!"

Despite the seriousness of the moment, Toby found that he couldn't fight a smile at his mother's exclamation. He doubted that she had ever uttered a swear word in her life.

"Sarah?"

"She's up in her room, wants to be alone. How has she been today?"

"I don't know. She won't let me in."

"Some people have a hard time opening up."

"She'll open up to you." She sighed and set her coffee cup on the table. "I just wish she would realize that your father loved all of us and he wanted nothing more than our happiness."

"Mom, I can't get into this right now."

Angela stood up and hugged her son. "I'm sorry, baby. I know how hard this is on you. Here, let me get you something to eat."

* * *

One question remained with her when she awoke. What on Earth did her mother have of Jareth's that he would resort to kidnapping to retrieve? It ate at her while she lay in bed until finally she could stand it no longer. She had to talk to him.

As if by magic, Evie appeared with her breakfast.

"I haven't got a lot of time, Evie. I _must_ talk to Jareth."

"Of course, my lady, whatever you wish."

She was soon dressed and walking down the corridor in which Evie had told her the Goblin King's bedroom was. The walls were covered with portraits of men with dark features scowling out from under heavy brows. Olivia fought the urge to stop and examine each one individually. Then she saw the door. It was the only door in the hallway, and it looked like it weighed a thousand pounds with all the carvings and jewels that covered its front. Drawing a deep, nervous breath, she pressed the door, surprised when it opened easily.

Jareth's living quarters were huge. The first room she entered seemed to be a living room or its Underground equivalent. Two low, backless couches formed an L. An equally low table sat in front of the couches, shining like liquid gold. It looked as though it would be the perfect place for an intimate evening for Jareth and…whoever was keeping him company.

"Jareth?" she called quietly, pushing open another door. This door led to another extravagantly decorated room. There was an almost obscenely large bed, draped in fabric the same deep, vibrant purple as the couches in the last room. The sheets were still slightly rumpled and she could imagine Jareth stretched out in that bed, sleeping. Or with a woman. With Cassia.

Jealousy knifed through her, surprising her. What the hell reason did she have to be jealous? If he wanted to sleep with every woman he met, that was none of her business, and certainly no cause for jealousy.

Cassia glided gracefully into the room on her bare feet, wearing an almost-sheer robe that shimmered in the early-morning light. Her clear, blue eyes widened slightly at the sight of Olivia. "Care to tell me who you are and why you're in my room?"

"I-I didn't know--that is--I was looking for Jareth."

The woman's perfectly arched eyebrows shot up at the familiar way the girl said the Goblin King's name. "Where you? Well, he's not here." She sat before the beautifully carved vanity, at which point a young girl appeared and immediately began to comb her long, red hair. "I'm afraid you've missed him. He was in such a hurry this morning; he didn't even wake me up to say good-bye." She pouted prettily at Olivia in the mirror.

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry to have disturbed you." She turned to leave.

"But you haven't told me who you are."

She faced the gorgeous woman again. "My name's Olivia, we sort of met yesterday."

"Oh, yes, now I remember. Olivia, you said? What a lovely name, so sad sounding." The woman turned on her seat, smiling at her and Olivia knew there was no genuine warmth behind it. "Tell me, what is a tragic little thing such as yourself doing in the fortress of the Goblin King? Were you wished away?"

She shook her head. "I think I'm a little old for that."

The woman's eyes raked over her appraisingly and she gave a tiny laugh. "I highly doubt that, how old are you?"

"I'm seventeen."

Cassia laughed loudly. "A baby!"

Olivia's chin raised a notch or two. "How old are you, thirty?"

More laughter. "Oh, much older."

"Thirty-two?" she asked dryly.

"Try two thousand and twenty-nine."

The chin that had only moments ago risen in defiance now lowered. "What?"

"But I guess in your years, you're about right." She turned back to the mirror. "Goodness, I'm getting old."

"Oh, no, Your Loveliness, you are so young and beautiful." The young girl combing her hair rushed to assure her.

"Thank you, Malia, you may go now. I'd like to talk to Olivia in private."

The little girl bowed and left the room swiftly, closing the door behind her.

"So, my dear, mournful girl, why _are _you here? You are quite obviously human."

"Jareth kidnapped me."

"Oh? Why would he do that? What use is a little girl to the Goblin King?"

"I don't really think that's any of your business."

Cassia's perfectly arched eyebrows rose. "No need to be rude, dear. Or to lie. I already guessed that you'd been wished away."

"I wasn't wished away." Olivia forced her voice to be breezy and unconcerned. "Jareth has a grudge against my mom because she beat his silly maze."

"Beat his--" Cassia stopped. Only one person had ever defeated the labyrinth. "Do you mean to tell me that your mother is Sarah Williams?"

"Yep."

"I see." She stifled a fake yawn. "Oh, I am so very tired. But of course, I never get any sleep when I'm with Jareth. Insatiable that man, I hardly got time to breathe last night before he was ready again. And again. And again." She glanced at Olivia. "But you don't want to hear that, no doubt you still think men are 'icky,' eh? Run along, and if you see Jareth, do tell him I'd like to see him."

When the girl was gone, Cassia let the frown that had been threatening take full possession of her face. The daughter of Sarah Williams! She remembered when Sarah had run the labyrinth. It had thrown the entire Underground into chaos. But more importantly, it had thrown Jareth into chaos. He had taken to the girl so quickly, discarding Cassia like a toy that had lost its shine.

But after the little demon had defeated him and he needed to be cared for during his recovery process, who did he turn to? Her smile quickly vanished, she had thought herself rid of the girl, but obviously, Jareth could not let go of his infatuation with the horrid little thing. Why else would he bring her daughter here? He was planning something. She had to find out what it was and how to stop it; she would _not _lose her position because of some stupid human!

She smiled to herself. She had the perfect means of finding out Jareth's plans. She pulled the velvet cord next to her bed and Malia instantly appeared. "I want His Grace, the Duke of Oelibel here before sunrise two days from now."

"Oelibel? But, Your Regalne-" the girl stopped when she saw the look on her mistress's face. "Yes, Your Graciousness."

* * *

Olivia waited for a long time to be summoned for dinner. She paced back and forth for what felt like hours, but in the end Evie came with a tray, explaining that "His Majesty" was busy and sent his apologies.

"I'll bet he's busy," Olivia fumed mentally. "Busy with that woman."

She couldn't believe the amount of jealousy she was experiencing. It was ridiculous. It was obsessive. It was damn infuriating thinking of Jareth sleeping with any woman, but the fact that it was that woman made it all the worse.


	9. The Return of The Thin White Duke

Chapter 9: The Return of The Thin White Duke

The cup crashed to the floor. "Damn!" Olivia scowled at the broken china at her feet, then at the large wet stain in her lap.

Evie rushed forward with a small broom and dustpan. "My lady? What is the matter?"

"Nothing, Evie, I'm fine."

The look Evie bestowed on her said that she wasn't buying it. "It wouldn't have to do with His Majesty being too preoccupied to see you these last three days, would it?"

"No."

Evie smiled at her quick refusal. She went to Olivia's bureau and brought back a clean dress. "Here, we'll get you changed and you can eat in the breakfast room. Maybe His Majesty will be there."

The dress Evie had picked out was nice and she knew she looked almost pretty--if a little exposed with a bodice scooped daringly low--in watermelon pink, making her hope that Jareth would in fact be there. The closer they got to their destination, the more nervous Olivia was.

Olivia had always eaten breakfast in her own rooms with Evie, so the breakfast room was completely new to her; she thought it was a bit silly to have an entirely different room in which to eat the morning meal, but she figured with as many rooms as this castle had they could afford to do such a thing.

On entering the smaller breakfast room she was confused to see it was already occupied. An extremely handsome young man sat at the shining wooden table with his legs thrown negligently over the arm of his chair. He was surrounded by half a dozen maids who were rushing about, trying to serve him breakfast and look appealing at the same time.

"Evie, who--"Olivia began, only to stop short when she saw the look on Evie's face.

The girl rushed forward and curtsied deeply. "Your Grace, it is so good to have you home."

The young man smiled and Olivia thought Evie would faint. "Thank you, Evie, I have so missed the castle." He saw her and jumped to his feet. "And who is this lovely creature?"

Evie looked slightly sullen. "This is my lady, Olivia."

"Hello, Olivia." The man's cobalt eyes roamed over her.

"Hello."

He smiled at her and she understood the way Evie had looked a moment before. It was true that she thought Jareth was the most attractive man she had ever met, but this man radiated a certain something that she was finding irresistible. She felt as though he was kissing her with his eyes. She took a step closer to him.

His smiled widened momentarily and he gestured to the seat next to his own. "Please sit, it will be nice to talk with someone while I eat."

She sat without ever looking away from him. "I know what you mean, I'm used to eating supper with Jareth, but lately-"

"Jareth? But I should have guessed. A beautiful little thing like you, of course you'd be one of my father's pets."

"Your father-?"

"She's not my pet. Olivia, look at me."

She started to turn her head away from the handsome young man smiling over her shoulder, but oh, he was just too beautiful.

"Olivia, look away from Kelan. Look at me."

The man looked away from her, his, lovely eyes locking on the man who had just entered the room. Olivia blinked and turned to face Jareth. He was frowning at the young man.

"Good morning, Your Majesty, how are you?"

His frown deepened. "Marvelous, though I must admit my surprise on receiving news of your arrival."

"Well, I've been here for ages, what kept you?"

"Oh, my lovely boy!" called a woman's voice.

"Mother."

Cassia and the young man embraced. "Oh, my darling, I haven't seen you in so long. How are you, my dear?"

"Well enough, Mother, and you?"

"Oh, I--"

"Kelan, why are you not in Oelibel?" Jareth cut in.

"I was getting lonely out there all alone and so I thought, 'I know, I'll go visit my dear parents.'"

"Parents?"

Olivia sat staring back and forth between Jareth, Cassia, and Kelan. It couldn't be.

Cassia smiled with a false sweetness. "Yes--oh, I've forgotten your name again."

"Olivia," the two men supplied simultaneously.

Jareth tried to continue, but Cassia cut him off. "He is our son."

Olivia threw her a skeptical look. The man looked like he was at least twenty, it was impossible for Cassia to be his mother. She said as much. Cassia repeated what she had told Olivia two days ago about her age.

_She must think I'm an absolute idiot to think I'd believe that bit about her being two thousand years old. But why doesn't Jareth tell her to stop her nonsense talk?_

She looked at Jareth, he hadn't refuted Cassia's charge of being father to this young man and she supposed it was not unlikely for Jareth to be his father, if he was young when the man was born. She looked at the young man again.

She saw it now, the resemblance, and it amazed her that it had taken her this long. He had the same, devastating beauty, though his face seemed to be even more starkly angular. High cheekbones, slim, graceful frame, and long, elegant hands--his weren't covered by gloves. His skin was a bit smoother and lighter, almost like living ivory; his lips were a full pout, much like Cassia's. And of course, the eyes were wrong. Jareth's eyes were a strikingly light shade of blue, not deep, midnight blue, so dark they were almost black.

It was that hair that had thrown her, brilliantly red with a thick streak of blonde at the front of the hairline. And it was shorter, a loose lock barely grazed one lovely cheekbone.

Aside from those differences she could almost imagine he was a young Jareth.

"If you will excuse me, I don't feel very well this morning." Olivia quickly exited the room, followed closely by Evie and one other maid who hadn't escaped yet.

Jareth turned to Cassia. "Leave us, woman."

She opened her mouth to protest, but the look on his face made her think better of it and she fled.

"Why are you here, Kelan?"

The young man sat back down, picking up his fork and spearing a sausage. "Mother summoned me, she thought that it would be a nice little surprise for you, since we haven't seen each other in so very long." He took an unconcerned bite of sausage. "So, where did you find that lovely little dish?"

"Have you forgotten that you are still supposed to be confined to Oelibel Palace?"

"And here I thought that you would be so happy to see me, you would forget that tiny detail. Can't we just forget about that? How long has she been here?"

"Forget about it? The court won't be forgetting it any time soon. How could you be so careless-"

"Oh, I've suffered long enough, it's been seven months, and she hasn't suffered any from it. Now, this Olivia, are you willing to share her? She looks like she would be a wild cat in-"

"She is off limits."

"Oh, come now, since when are you so possessive of your little toys?"

"She is not my toy."

"Don't insult my intelligence, a gorgeous little thing like that, there is no way you would deny yourself the pleasure. Do you expect me to believe you haven't bedded her?"

"I am not denying myself anything. I have no desire for the girl."

Kelan nearly fell from his seat laughing and Jareth stared at the young man with his mouth set in a hard line, waiting for his fit to be over. Finally he stopped laughing, wiping tears of mirth from his face. "Oh, I'm sorry, but you can't have thought I would believe that! I sensed your desire for her the second you came into the room." His eyes narrowed. "You really haven't had her yet. Oh, that's priceless. Why haven't you? Did she tell you no because if she did, it's incredibly unsportsmanlike of you to stop me from having a crack at-"

"I haven't even tried to-" Jareth stopped himself. "She is not here for that purpose."

"That doesn't mean she can't-"

"You will not touch her, Kelan."

The young man narrowed his eyes again. "What do you have to gain from not bedding her? It's got to be a good reason."

"Not as good as the reason you will need to give me to keep you here."

"I'll help you get her."

Jareth stiffened. "I don't need your help."

"Don't be silly, why exert yourself when I can simply plant suggestions here and there?"

"No. You are not to influence her ever again, is that understood?"

Kelan frowned. "Completely."

"Then you may stay, maybe it _is_ time for you to return to court."


End file.
